Council hears opposition to county sewer district; approves $20,000 EDIT appropriation for Jackson Township

Public comment and agenda items at the meeting focused on the prospect of a countywide sewer district and a separate request from the Jackson Township Regional Sewer District for additional funds. Resident representative Dennis Layman told the Council that petitions were filed with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management under "IC 13-26-2-3.5," which he said would void formation of a county sewer district. The Council did not move forward with a motion to form a Blackford County Sewer District after Commonwealth Engineers representative Thomas Barclay requested approval to form one.

Separately, Sheila Hyer of the Jackson Township Regional Sewer District asked for a $20,000 additional appropriation from the EDIT fund, supplying financial documentation and noting the district receives about $60 per month from roughly 33 landowners. The Council approved the appropriation on a motion by Ryan Goodspeed, seconded by Patrick Cale; the vote was 5–1 with Council Member Kyle Lechien recording the lone nay. No formal action to form the countywide sewer district was taken at the meeting; the petitions and the statutory citation were raised as part of public comment and remain matters for follow-up or legal clarification.

The transcript records both the statutory reference (IC 13-26-2-3.5) and the Council's split vote on the Jackson Township appropriation. Because formation of a sewer district was not moved or voted on, the question of forming a county sewer district remains unresolved in the minutes.